Honesty time: I don’t always say a prayer before Mass the way I wish I could. Or the way I think I should. I have four children. It feels like no matter how hard I try to prepare ahead, we are always rushing on Sunday morning. So I feel ahead of game if all of my children have used the restroom before Mass and we have made it to the pew 20 seconds before the bell rings.
But I keep trying. Because one day, I will make it to Mass early enough to say the whole litany of prayers that I want to say. I want to prepare my heart to receive the Eucharist. I want to be fully in.
For now, a short, simple prayer before Mass feels like enough to tell God that I want to be there and I want to do His will.
So whether you’ve attended Catholic Mass before or not, this Prayer Before Mass will help you prepare with reverence. A free PDF download is included below so that you can take it with you until you memorize it!
Why do I need to say a prayer before Mass?
Perhaps you can relate to the fact that I feel rushed every Sunday. In fact, I feel rushed in lots of areas in my life. I have so many balls up in the air: work, motherhood, homeschool, utility bills… the list goes on and on. So I feel like I need to hit the “TARE” button before Mass. I want to recalibrate.
If I was grumpy, irritated, stressed, or upset, I don’t want to go into Mass in that state. Saying a prayer before Mass is like telling God, “Whatever went on before, I’m leaving that behind.”
The Need for Reverence
I’m far from perfect. But admittedly, I notice that the reverence for the Holy Mass is not always there. Too often, I see children chomping on Goldfish crackers and watching a Youtube video on Mom’s phone just to keep quiet. Men are dressed in old t-shirts and women are wearing cutoff shorts. People are chewing the Eucharist like it is a snack.
While I know that Jesus welcomed sinners and we are encouraged to be compassionate, I also believe that as with all other responsibilities, we have to do our part. And we can do better.
So I say a prayer before Mass that is the most reverent, holy celebration of the Mass as can be. I pray for the softening of the hearts of those who attend who treat Mass so casually.
Praying for Peace of Mind
Then there are the issues I face at Mass. I am very distracted. When I was a child, I used to be fixated on the people around me, what they were wearing, and what they were doing. As I got older and became a wife and mother, I could not stop thinking about my never-ending to-do list. So I pray for peace of mind. I ask God to clear my mind and remove my worries and concerns. I ask Him to help me to focus on the good and the whole reason I am there.
Praying to Prepare Your Heart
Sometimes we go into Mass with hardness of heart. I know that I am guilty of going to Mass when I am upset at my husband or irritated at colleagues. So I ask God to prepare my heart so that I may receive Jesus with humility. I want to leave Mass with the greatest love in my heart so that I can spread it to others, especially when it’s difficult.
Praying to Ready Your Soul
In the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Thy will be done.” As I grow in my faith, I realize that I need help from God to join my will with His. So I ask God to form my soul. I want my soul to be most pure when I die so that I can join Him in Heaven. If my soul is in its best state when receiving the Eucharist, that is the closest thing to Heaven I can experience on earth.
Praying for Your Whole Being
My brain needs help. My lungs need help. There are so many parts of me that need help from God. So I pray for my whole being. I pray for my future self, too. I know that I can ask God for these things and He wants to provide them. There is no better time and place to ask for this help from God than right before Mass.
Saying a Prayer Before Mass for Special Intentions
Since I want to pay attention to the Epistle and the Gospel and all of the beautiful prayers at Mass, I am not always thinking of my special intentions during Mass. So I say a prayer before Mass that includes all of my special intentions, like prayers for my husband and my children. I pray for unborn babies and an end to abortion. I pray for the souls in purgatory. The list is long and I keep going until Mass begins. I feel a sense of relief when I am able to include all of the intentions I usually carry with me throughout the day.
A Prayer Before Mass for those around you
I don’t know what’s on the hearts of the people around me. I know we all carry our crosses. So I pray for the people around me. I pray for their worries, concerns, issues, and challenges. I don’t need to know the details, but I know God will take care of it.
Calling on the Intercession of our Blessed Mother
And of course, you can never say TOO MANY prayers to the Blessed Mother! I offer up at least one Hail Mary to our Blessed Mother because I know she will take my prayer before Mass and turn it into something more radiant than I could possibly imagine.
Prayer Before Mass
Lord God Almighty,
Prepare my mind, heart, soul, and being for the sacrifice of the Holy Mass. Bring me peace of mind so that I may focus on your goodness and holiness, O Lord. I pray that I may bring forward pure, loving intentions to You as I join in communion with my brothers and sisters. Lord, make ready my heart to love You and receive You in the Gospel and in the Eucharist. Open and expand my heart to receive others with humility, understanding, and forgiveness. Lord, refine my soul so that I may be most worthy to celebrate with You. Unite my soul with yours and unite my will with Yours. Lord, change me. Change me and my whole being so that I may become more perfect each day, preparing for sainthood and glorifying You. I humbly ask this and ask for the intercession of our Blessed Mother.
Hail Mary…
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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